After listing FORBES' '00 NBA franchise valuations in
yesterday's edition, THE DAILY continues with FORBES'
current NHL franchise valuation estimates. Badenhausen &
Stanfl write that ticket revenue growth in the NBA and NHL
is "slowing, in part because fans are choking on the
prices," an average of $51 for the NBA and $48 for the NHL.
TV ratings for the NBA "have been in a downward spiral the
past several years, while the NHL's ratings have remained
low." But arena sponsorship revenue "is going through the
roof," as it has "more than doubled" over the past three
seasons to $358M, still "tiny compared with" the $2.2B in
ticket and suite revenue and the $1.3B for TV rights." The
following lists the NHL valuations (FORBES, 12/11 issue):
CURRENT OPERATING
VALUE1 1 YR % 2 YR % REVENUES INCOME3 DEBT/
TEAM ($MIL) CHANGE CHANGE ($MIL) ($MIL) VALUE2
RANGERS $263 12% 35% $97.6 $-1.4 57%
FLYERS 240 14 28 88.9 3.2 29
RED WINGS 218 12 18 80.7 2.0 0
BRUINS 217 10 17 77.6 15.9 60
MAPLE LEAFS 203 35 71 84.4 17.5 68
AVALANCHE 198 23 43 82.3 3.4 34
BLACKHAWKS 197 7 16 70.4 12.4 0
CANADIENS 191 9 14 73.5 12.7 22
STARS 182 22 54 72.7 2.1 59
DEVILS 163 21 30 62.5 0.9 41
KINGS 160 47 54 63.9 8.4 78
PANTHERS 147 -9 40 64.0 0.2 24
SHARKS 141 15 31 61.3 3.4 21
ISLANDERS 139 -2 25 40.7 5.4 63
THRASHERS ^ 138 NA NA 59.9 15 9 44
BLUES 136 -1 -12 56.5 -5.9 71
CAPITALS 134 -7 -25 48.8 -10.5 66
PENGUINS 132 33 48 57.5 3.2 17
PREDATORS 129 -1 NA 51.6 8.6 31
MIGHTY DUCKS 116 -1 6 48.1 -7.5 0
LIGHTNING 107 -5 6 44.6 -5.1 47
CANUCKS 100 5 0 45.5 -11.3 99
SABRES 97 7 7 48.6 -10.1 82
COYOTES ^^ 86 -4 -1 41.9 -6.3 70
SENATORS 84 6 -11 46.7 -2.1 88
FLAMES 82 5 6 41.2 -2.3 61
HURRICANES 79 13 -1 45.4 -2.4 63
OILERS 77 6 15 40.4 3.6 59
LEAGUE AVERAGE 148 10 19 60.6 1.9 48
NOTES: Revenues and operating income are for the '99-00
season. Current Value1 = value of team, without deduction
for debt (other than arena debt). Debt/Value2 includes
arena debt. Operating Income3 ($mil) is EBITD. ^ =
Acquisition by AOL pending. ^^ = Sale to Steve Ellman group
pending. NA: Not applicable.
METHOD, MAN? Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Senior
VP/Business Tom Anselmi, on the accuracy of Forbes'
valuation of the Maple Leafs: "How can you say anything when
you don't know the methodology they used? At any rate,
we're a private company and we don't publish our numbers.
We do think we're an important team and it's our goal to be
the most important team in the world (TORONTO SUN, 11/25).
Penguins VP/Communications & Marketing Tom McMillan, on the
team showing the third-largest increase in value over '99
among NHL teams: "I think it's a tribute to Mario [Lemieux]
and his ownership team, and the stability they have given
the franchise" (TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 11/26). Lightning President
Ron Campbell, on the valuations: "We believe there's a lag
time between studies like this and reality because the
increase in our value is starting to be recognized on a
national basis. ... We feel we've done a lot to increase
what this team is worth, but we can't control whatever the
formula is that they use" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 11/29).
